Completion and Dedication of the Temple

¹³ Then, because of the decree King Darius had sent, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates^(A) carried it out with diligence. ¹⁴ So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching^(B) of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus,^(C) Darius^(D) and Artaxerxes,^(E) kings of Persia. ¹⁵ The temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.^(F)

¹⁶ Then the people of Israel—the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles—celebrated the dedication^(G) of the house of God with joy. ¹⁷ For the dedication of this house of God they offered^(H) a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred male lambs and, as a sin offering^[a] for all Israel, twelve male goats, one for each of the tribes of Israel. ¹⁸ And they installed the priests in their divisions^(I) and the Levites in their groups^(J) for the service of God at Jerusalem, according to what is written in the Book of Moses.^(K)

The Passover

¹⁹ On the fourteenth day of the first month, the exiles celebrated the Passover.^{(L) 20} The priests and Levites had purified themselves and were all ceremonially clean. The Levites slaughtered^(M) the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their relatives the priests and for themselves. ²¹ So the Israelites who had returned from the exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves^(N) from the unclean practices^(O) of their Gentile neighbors in order to seek the Lord,^(P) the God of Israel. ²² For seven days they celebrated with joy the Festival of Unleavened Bread,^(Q) because the Lord had filled them with joy by changing the attitude^(R) of the king of Assyria so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.

⁷ This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west.^{(A) 8} I will bring them back^(B) to live^(C) in Jerusalem; they will be my people,^(D) and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.^(E)”

⁹ This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Now hear these words, ‘Let your hands be strong^(F) so that the temple may be built.’ This is also what the prophets^(G) said who were present when the foundation^(H) was laid for the house of the Lord Almighty. ¹⁰ Before that time there were no wages^(I) for people or hire for animals. No one could go about their business safely^(J) because of their enemies, since I had turned everyone against their neighbor. ¹¹ But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as I did in the past,”^(K) declares the Lord Almighty.

¹² “The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit,^(L) the ground will produce its crops,^(M) and the heavens will drop their dew.^(N) I will give all these things as an inheritance^(O) to the remnant of this people.^{(P) 13} Just as you, Judah and Israel, have been a curse^[a](Q) among the nations, so I will save^(R) you, and you will be a blessing.^[b](S) Do not be afraid,^(T) but let your hands be strong.^(U)”